U.S. patent number 7,213,291 [Application Number 10/784,041] was granted by the patent office on 2007-05-08 for cleaning device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Victory Converter Company Limited. Invention is credited to Hsu Hung Cheng.
United States Patent |
7,213,291 |
Cheng |
May 8, 2007 |
Cleaning device
Abstract
A cleaning device that may have a body forming a multifunctional
plastic receptacle and that may incorporate features providing easy
peel back of one turn of depleted adhesive coated sheet material in
the cleaning device and facilitating a neat tearing away of the
depleted material. In a preferred embodiment, the body is formed of
two body members hinged together to substantially fully enclose a
roll of adhesive coated sheet material when snapped closed, and
when snapped open, to form a continuous handle-like portion. The
roll is slit at one end, which when a full turn of depleted
material is peeled back, will allow the slit to align with a sharp,
molded-in edge of one of the body members to facilitate tearing off
the depleted material, starting at the slit. This also facilitates
folding the free end to a double thickness for later easy peel back
of the next turn.
Inventors: |
Cheng; Hsu Hung (Kowloon,
HK) |
Assignee: |
Victory Converter Company
Limited (Kowloon, HK)
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Family
ID: |
34711891 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/784,041 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2004 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20050183223 A1 |
Aug 25, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/104.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L
25/005 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47L
25/00 (20060101); A47L 25/08 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;15/104.002 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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295 07 878 |
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Sep 1995 |
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DE |
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0 680 888 |
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Nov 1995 |
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EP |
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WO-83/01734 |
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May 1983 |
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WO |
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Primary Examiner: Chin; Randall
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor &
Zafman LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cleaner comprising: first and second body members, each having
first and second ends, the first and second body members being
hinged together at their first ends to fold together about the
hinge to abut along first and second sides of the body members to
define an enclosure having an outer surface defined by the outer
surfaces of the first and second body members, and to open about
the hinge so that the outer surfaces of the first and second body
members define a substantially continuous surface, the first and
second body members having complementary snap members on their
second ends to snap together when folded together to form the
enclosure; a roll of adhesive coated sheet material, rolled
adhesive coated side out, partially within the first body member
and supported from the first and second ends of the first body
member for rotation about its axis; the roll of adhesive coated
sheet material being slit adjacent one end thereof; at least one
side of one of the body members defining a sharp edge for pinching
the roll of adhesive coated sheet material between the sharp edge
and an adjacent side of the other body member to encourage tearing
of the adhesive coated sheet material along the sharp edge when the
adhesive coated sheet material is unrolled to place one of the
slits in the roll adjacent the sharp edge.
2. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein the first and second body members
are injection molded members and the sharp edge is a molded sharp
edge.
3. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein the first ends of the first and
second body members are configured to snap together to hold the
body members in the open position.
4. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein both sides of one of the body
members defines a sharp edge.
5. The cleaner of claim 4 wherein both sides of the second body
member are flat, whereby adhesive coated sheet material may be
pinched between one of the sharp edges and an adjacent flat
surface.
6. A cleaner comprising: first and second body members, each having
first and second ends, the first and second body members being
hinged together at their first ends to fold together about the
hinge to abut along first and second sides of the body members to
define an enclosure having an outer surface defined by the outer
surfaces of the first and second body members, and to open about
the hinge so that the outer surfaces of the first and second body
members define a substantially continuous surface, the first and
second body members having complementary snap members to snap
together when folded together to form the enclosure; a roll of
adhesive coated sheet material, rolled adhesive coated side out,
partially within the first body member and supported from the first
and second ends of the first body member for rotation about its
axis; the roll of adhesive coated sheet material being slit
adjacent one end thereof, the slit running only part way along its
axis; at least one side of one of the body members defining a sharp
edge for pinching adhesive coated sheet material between the sharp
edge and an adjacent side of the other body member to encourage
tearing of the adhesive coated sheet material along the sharp edge
when the adhesive coated sheet material is unrolled to place one of
the slits in the roll adjacent the sharp edge.
7. The cleaner of claim 6 wherein the complementary snap members on
the first and second body members to snap together when folded
together to form the enclosure are complementary snap members at
the first ends of the first and second body members.
8. The cleaner of claim 6 wherein the first and second body members
are injection molded members and the sharp edge is a molded sharp
edge.
9. The cleaner of claim 6 wherein the first ends of the first and
second body members are configured to snap together to hold the
body members in the open position.
10. The cleaner of claim 6 wherein both sides of one of the body
members defines a sharp edge.
11. The cleaner of claim 10 wherein both sides of the second body
member are flat, whereby adhesive coated sheet material may be
pinched between one of the sharp edges and an adjacent flat
surface.
12. A cleaner comprising: first and second body members, each
having first and second ends, the first and second body members
being hinged together at their first ends to fold together about
the hinge to abut along first and second sides of the body members
to define an enclosure having an outer surface defined by the outer
surfaces of the first and second body members, and to open about
the hinge; a roll of adhesive coated sheet material, rolled
adhesive coated side out, partially within the first body member
and supported from the first and second ends of the first body
member for rotation about its axis; the roll of adhesive coated
sheet material being slit adjacent one end thereof; at least one
side of one of the body members defining a sharp edge for pinching
adhesive coated sheet material between the sharp edge and an
adjacent side of the other body member to encourage tearing of the
adhesive coated sheet material along the sharp edge when the
adhesive coated sheet material is unrolled to place one of the
slits in the roll adjacent the sharp edge.
13. The cleaner of claim 12 wherein the first and second body
members are injection molded members and the sharp edge is a molded
sharp edge.
14. The cleaner of claim 12 wherein the first ends of the first and
second body members are configured to snap together to hold the
body members in the open position.
15. The cleaner of claim 12 wherein the first and second body
members have complementary snap members adjacent their second ends
to snap together when folded together to form the enclosure.
16. The cleaner of claim 12 wherein both sides of one of the body
members defines a sharp edge.
17. The cleaner of claim 16 wherein both sides of the second body
member are flat, whereby adhesive coated sheet material may be
pinched between one of the sharp edges and an adjacent flat
surface.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cleaning devices of a type
sometimes referred to a lint removers.
2. Prior Art
Cleaning devices having a roll of adhesive coated sheet material,
typically crepe paper, rolled adhesive coated surface outward and
mounted for rotation about the axis of the roll are well known. The
adhesive coated surface picks up lint, hair, dandruff, etc. when
rolled over clothes, furniture, etc. until the adhesive coating
looses its effectiveness because of the amount of foreign matter it
has picked up. When this occurs, the cleaning ability may be
restored by removing the used outer turn of adhesive coated paper
to expose a fresh adhesive coated surface.
Although much thought has been given to how to neatly tear away the
used adhesive crepe paper, manufacturers are generally not willing
to fit sharp metal blades to such devices for reasons of cost and
safety. There are two solutions that are found among products of
this category. These are to either cut a straight line slightly
narrower than the adhesive paper across the adhesive paper roll, or
to provide perforated lines in the paper. However the adhesive
paper is very thin, and each layer is adhered tightly to the next
layer. Therefore it is very difficult to peel away a layer of the
paper, especially for users without long fingernails. Furthermore,
when the edge of thin adhesive paper is broken in an irregular
fashion, it is prone to ripping on the edges when being peeled,
making it more difficult to change paper, and possibly even
resulting in new adhesive paper underneath also being damaged and
wasted.
In order to achieve a thin adhesive paper that is easy to peel
away, conventional products of the same category all use complex
technology to apply an adhesive substance to the center of the
paper backing, leaving the two sides free from adhesive, and making
the backing easy to peel away. However, when peeling away and
changing the paper, it is easy to tear a single layer of paper,
which results in additional trouble.
Also conventional products of the same category are one-piece
club-shaped assemblies from the fitting of the adhesive paper to
the location of the handgrip and are without a function of folding
and opening. They are relatively large in size and also require the
addition of a special adhesive protection sheet or coating to cover
the adhesive paper, and this presents considerable technical
difficulties. The covering and disassembling actions are extremely
troublesome and inconvenient. Furthermore, if the protective sheet
is lost, there is no way to protect the adhesive paper.
Additionally, the smoothness of rotation of the adhesive paper is
not as good as that of our company's design.
A lint remover having a sticky soft plastic roller uses a folding
housing which folds around the roller for protection when not in
use, and which opens to form a handle-like protrusion. The housing
does not tightly lock in the open position, nor in the closed
position, as it has not catch or lock at the ends opposite the
hinge area. Also when in the open position, the surface of the
handle-like protrusion does not align with the surface of the other
housing part, so that the housing, when open, does not have an
aesthetically pleasing appearance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a view of one embodiment of a cleaning device in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of FIG.
1.
FIG. 3a is a view of the cleaning device of FIG. 1 in the open,
ready to use condition.
FIG. 3b is a local cross section taken along line 3b--3b of FIG.
3a.
FIG. 3c is a local cross section taken along line 3c--3c of FIG.
3a.
FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the unrolling one layer of used
adhesive coated sheet material and aligning the slit at one edge
thereof with a sharp edge on one of the body members of the
device.
FIG. 5 illustrates the pinching of the adhesive coated sheet
material against a sharp edge of one of the body members and the
tearing of one layer of used material therefrom.
FIG. 6 is a cross section illustrating the state of the adhesive
coated sheet material after one turn of used material has been torn
away.
FIG. 7 illustrates the folding back of the free edge of the
adhesive coated sheet material after a used portion has been torn
therefrom, thereby providing a double thickness edge on the roll of
adhesive coated sheet material to facilitate the later unwinding of
another layer of used material.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
First referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a view of one embodiment of the
present invention cleaning device in the closed condition and an
exploded view of the cleaning device in the open condition,
respectively, may be seen. The cleaning device of this embodiment
is comprised of first and second body members, generally indicated
by the numerals 20 and 22, which when in the closed condition shown
in FIG. 1, form a substantially continuous surface along the length
of the closed device. In that regard, in the specific embodiment
shown, the body members are substantially semicircular, thereby
forming a substantially round cross section cylindrical enclosure
when closed, as shown in FIG. 1.
The body members are hinged together adjacent the upper end (using
the orientation of FIG. 1) with each body member having a pair of
hinge members complimentary to the hinge members on the other body
member. In the specific embodiment shown, body member 20 has ear
shaped hinge members 24 having inwardly projecting hinge pins 26
which may be snapped into holes 28 in projections 30 on body member
22.
Also visible in FIGS. 1 and 2 are inward projections 32 on the ear
shaped hinge members 24 on body member 20, cooperatively disposed
with respect to complimentary grooves 34 in projections 30 of body
member 22. As may be seen in FIG. 1 and in the cross section of
FIG. 3b taken along line 3b--3b of FIG. 3a, the projections 32 snap
into grooves 34 when the two body members are folded on the hinges
to the closed position of FIG. 1, or to the open position as shown
in FIG. 3. Also, in the specific embodiment shown, a hook latch
member 36 is molded integral with body member 22 to hook onto
region 38 of body member 20, thereby providing complimentary snap
members for further holding the cleaning device in the closed
position shown in FIG. 1. In the preferred embodiment the body
members 20 and 22 are injected molded plastic members having
adequate flexibility to allow the complimentary hinge parts to snap
together and to resist opening from the closed position and closing
from the opening position. Similarly, the operation of the
complimentary snap members 36 and 38 is facilitated by the
flexibility and elasticity of the plastic.
Also partially visible in FIG. 1 is an opening 25 in body member
22. This opening may be used for hanging cleaning devices on a
display rack, such as at the point of sale, and for hanging in a
users closet if desired.
As may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3a, mounted within body member 22 is
a roll of adhesive coated sheet material 40 mounted on reusable end
pieces 42 which slip into the ends of the roll 40 and have short,
outward extending bearing shafts 44 for snapping within openings 46
in body member 22. The roll 40 in the preferred embodiment is
comprised of a tube 48, such as a cardboard tube, with an adhesive
coated sheet material 50 rolled adhesive side out on the cardboard
48. In the preferred embodiment, the adhesive coated sheet material
is an adhesive coated crepe paper.
As may be seen in FIG. 2, the roll of adhesive coated sheet
material 40 has a small slit 52 at one end thereof, the slit 52
going through all layers of the multi-layer roll, typically also
going partway, if not all of the way, through the cylinder 48 on
which it is rolled.
In use, the cleaning device is opened as shown in FIG. 7. The outer
contour of the body members 20 and 22 provide a substantially
uninterrupted surface, serving both an aesthetic and a functional
purpose in that the cleaning device may be comfortably gripped by
body member 20, as shown in FIG. 3a, or with the user's hand
spanning both body members, or if desired, gripping only body
member 22. Also when in the open position shown in FIG. 3a, a small
lip 54 on body member 22 snaps into a complimentary recess in
member 20 as shown in FIG. 3c. In the preferred embodiment, the
parts are made with dimensions such that because of the relative
location of the hinge axis defined by complimentary hinge members,
there is a slight interference between lip 54 and the leading edge
56 of the recess in body member 20. This further enhances the snap
action for snapping the cleaning device open and for retention of
the two body members in the open position.
In use, the adhesive coated roll 40 may be rolled over clothes,
furniture, carpets and the like to pick up hair, lint and other
debris by the stickiness of the adhesive coated roll 40. After some
continued use the roll will begin to lose its stickiness, and
accordingly, its efficiency in picking up further debris becomes
limited. When this happens, a single turn of sheet material is
unrolled from the roll 40 (see FIG. 4) so that the next slit 52
aligns with the outer edge 58 of body member 22. Then the two body
members 20 and 22 are closed as shown in FIG. 5. It will be noted
from FIG. 6 that one of the body members has a relatively sharp
outer edge 60, with the complimentary body member having an incline
62 to cooperatively engage the relatively sharp edge 60. Thus by
holding the two body members closed as in FIG. 5, the adhesive
coated sheet material 50 is squeezed or pinched between the sides
of the two body members. This, in cooperation with the slit aligned
with the sharp edge 60 to facilitate initiation of tearing, allows
the tearing of exactly one turn of the used adhesive coated sheet
material 50, FIG. 6 showing a cross section after the tearing is
complete. Now on opening of the cleaning device, the free edge 64
(see FIG. 6) that was pinched between the two body members may
freed by rotating the roll, and when freed, the free end of the
adhesive coated sheet material may be folded back 180.degree. to
form a strip 66 (see FIG. 7) that is folded, adhesive side versus
adhesive side, to create a double thickness leading edge on the
roll. While this creates a narrow strip of the uncoated side of the
sheet material across the adhesive coated roll 40, it is relatively
narrow and has very little effect on the cleaning ability of the
adhesive coated roll. However, once the newly exposed turn of
adhesive coated sheet material becomes depleted through use, the
double thickness leading edge of that layer is very much less prone
to ripping, thereby greatly facilitating the peeling of an
additional turn from the roll for tearing off, etc. to expose still
another fresh adhesive coated surface.
Thus the structure and operation of the product has many
differences and advantages over conventional products of the same
category. The preferred embodiment is comprised of a cylindrical
receptacle using a roll of adhesive crepe paper, the ends of which
are fitted with round plastic fasteners and then enclosed by two
plastic casings. Utilizing the sticking power of the adhesive
paper, lint, fibers, hair, dandruff and scraps of paper that have
fallen onto clothing, pillows, fabric covered furniture and fabric
covered car seats can be rolled clean. It can also be used for
cleaning away mess left behind by pets, such as dog or cat hairs,
etc.
The product's innovative features include a new method for neatly
tearing the adhesive coated sheet material, preferably adhesive
coated paper. Specifically, a small cut or slit is pre-cut on the
edge of the roll of adhesive paper so that when the adhesive paper
is covered in lint and other residue and begins to lose its
adhesive effect, users can peel the used adhesive paper back to the
small cut at the position of a sharp angle edge on the receptacle.
Closing the receptacle re-fastens the adhesive paper. Users can
tear away used adhesive paper by hand from the point of the small
cut and a tidy tear of the adhesive paper can be achieved without
using sharp blades.
The product's innovative features also include a new method for the
perfect formation of easy peeling of the adhesive coated paper.
After completing the key action of neatly tearing away the adhesive
paper, one can open the receptacle and use their hand to rotate the
adhesive paper slightly in a pulling out direction, enabling the
neat tear of the adhesive paper to leave the sharp angled edge of
the receptacle. This also enables one to obtain just the right
length of adhesive paper to match the casing.
After that, the free end of the roll of adhesive paper is wound
back to perfectly form a paper head the thickness of two layers of
adhesive. This not only allows users to peel away and change paper
easily, but also greatly increases the strength of the paper edge,
preventing it from ripping when attempting to peel back another
layer. Without using this method, because the adhesive paper is
very thin and is adhered tightly to the lower layer, it would be
very difficult to peel away paper, especially so for users without
long fingernails. Furthermore, when the edge of thin adhesive paper
is broken in an irregular fashion, it is prone to ripping on the
edges when being peeled, making it more difficult to change paper
and possibly even resulting in new adhesive paper underneath also
being damaged and wasted.
The product's innovative features further include an original
multi-functional plastic receptacle. When the receptacle is opened
180 degrees, the body members work together with ergonomic
principles and can be used as a gripping handle. The hidden locking
fastener inside the receptacle is both easy to open and can be
closed tightly in all safety. It also provides the greatest level
of protection against adhesive sticking to unwanted areas when not
in use, and dust, lint and other floating substances in the air
sticking to the adhesive paper and reducing its adhesive effect.
Also the contact area between the rotating axle centers of the
fasteners or reusable end caps 42 supporting the roll of adhesive
paper is very small and has a low friction coefficient, allowing
the adhesive paper to roll extremely smoothly and easily.
The method used by the sharp angled edge of the receptacle and the
casing to grip the adhesive paper allows for the neat breaking of
paper and also allows the leading edge of the paper to stand up in
a regular fashion. This enables users to easily bend back and form
a leading edge that can be easily peeled away.
When the adhesive characteristics of the outer layer of the roll of
adhesive paper is depleted and needs to be replaced, one can use
their fingers to grasp the two circular fasteners to take off the
paper core. In that regard, the outer surface 70 (see FIG. 2) of
the reusable end caps 42 is intentionally patterned in some way to
provide a non-slip gripping surface. The two circular fasteners 42
can then be fitted to a new roll of adhesive paper and that
assembly fastened into the body member 22 by first inserting one
bearing shaft 44 (FIG. 2) into one of the openings 46 in body
member 22, and then squeezing the other fastener into the remaining
opening 46.
The opening joint of the receptacle is made up of two ear-shaped
fasteners that fasten to the two openings on the other half of the
receptacle and allow a 180-degree opening action. At the same time,
the inherent elasticity of plastic is utilized in an arched channel
that extends out and prevents the handgrip from swinging freely
when fastened. To close the receptacle, one merely has to fold the
handgrip gently by hand and it will release and close. The shape of
the receptacle is pocket-sized and not awkward. It can be stably
placed in a vertical position and can also be hung from a hole.
These features make it very convenient to display, carry or
store.
A new and unique cleaning device having a number of features has
been disclosed herein. However it is to be understood that each of
these features may be advantageously practiced alone, or practiced
in various combinations and sub-combinations in products of the
described type. Thus while a preferred embodiment of the present
invention has been disclosed and described herein, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form
and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention.
* * * * *